Cosmetics, personal care products, and pharmaceutical compositions that contain film-forming polymers intended for use on biological surfaces for improving adhesion, long lasting effects, and protecting skin and nails and colorants on skin and nails are commercially available. Cosmetic formulations including polymers such as thermoplastic elastomers as film formers which are easily removed using soap and water are exemplified in U.S. Publication No. 2004/0223933A1 and EP 144068033A1. The specific examples given in this case contain polymers in which at least one block of the polymer is water soluble or hydrophilic and charged. Although the art discuss the use of thermoplastic elastomers in cosmetic formulas to impart desirable film forming properties, thermoplastic elastomer copolymers are usually insoluble or less soluble in aqueous or alcoholic solvents, and therefore, generally thought to be inappropriate for polymeric cosmetic compositions.
U.S. Publication No. U.S. 2003/147819A1 and EP1329483A2 discuss the use of cosmetic body pigments in cosmetic compositions and in resin compositions. Thermoplastic elastomer resins, among numerous other polymers, are cited in these applications strictly in the context of their use as solid resins into which the pigments can be dispersed.
Thermoplastic elastomers are generally employed in areas where the melt to solid transition property is less important, such as for example, footwear, wire insulation, adhesives, etc. More specifically, thermoplastic elastomers are typically employed in applications where the polymer is heated above the melting temperature of the polymer's high melting domain. This renders the polymer liquid. As the polymer cools, the high melting domains form cross-links resulting in a network structure of physical rather than chemical cross-links. Such network structures form a swellable elastomeric structure that can be broken and reformed upon a temperature change. Other elastomeric structures are generally formed by chemical cross-links through, for example, condensation or free-radical chain transfer mechanism. These structures with chemical cross-links are not reversibly formed. Since thermoplastic elastomers generally rely on the use of high heat, as the prior art suggests, their application to cosmetic and skin care products is not apparent and inappropriate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,800,816; 5,911,974; 6,036,947; 6,274,152; 6,071,503; 6,139,823; and 6,340,466 describe the use of a silicone resin, an MQ resin, in combination with one or more of a non-volatile or volatile silicone, non-volatile oil, silicone oil, silicone fluid, silicone gum, silicone wax, wax, cyclomethicone, or guerbet ester.
For compositions to perform satisfactorily, they must exhibit a number of desirable performance properties. Compositions are known which provide films on biological substrates, and which have desirable performance properties. Desirable characteristics of film-forming compositions include: good application, the production of a uniform film of desired sheen or gloss, good adhesion, a certain amount of flexibility, and good film strength to avoid cracking and flaking of the film, preferably in the absence of irritation of the skin, hair, and/or nails upon which the film-forming composition is applied.
Despite advances in film forming methods and compositions, there remains a need in the art for film forming compositions which provide long-lasting, transfer resistant, comfortable, highly flexible, tack-free, and water-proof films.
There is therefore a need for a method and composition for providing a film on a biological substrate that is durable, flexible, water and oil resistant, abrasion resistant, and transfer resistant for delivering actives, colorants, and the like.
It is further an object of the invention to provide cosmetic, personal care, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising compositions which form a durable, flexible, water and oil resistant, abrasion resistant, and transfer resistant film and deliver actives, colorants, and the like.